Syringe

ABSTRACT

THIS INVENTION IS DIRECTED TO AN AUTOMATIC SYRINGE WHICH INCLUDES A FIRST SPRING BIASED SUBASSEMBLY FOR INSERTING A NEEDLE INTO A PATIENT AND ALSO INCLUDES A SECOND SPRING BIASED SUBASSEMBLY FOR AUTOMATICALLY INJECTING THE FLUID AFTER THE NEEDLE HAS BEEN INSERTED.

March 23, 1971 HERSHBERG 3,572,336

SYRINGE Filed April 30, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR Dom \e\ R. Hevshoerq BY Dex) 04g ATTORNEYS March 23, 1971 D. R. HERSHBERG SYRINGE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 30, 1968 INVENTOR Domed R. Hershberq Dem Z0 Q Y A (mm-:5

United States Patent 6 3,572,336 SYRINGE Daniel R. Hershberg, 72 Edgecomb St.,

Albany, N.Y. 12209 Filed Apr. 30, 1968, Ser. No. 725,369 Int. Cl. A61m /20 US. Cl. 128-218 21 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention is directed to an automatic syringe which includes a first spring biased subassembly for inserting a needle into a patient and also includes second spring biased subassembly for automatically injecting the fluid after the needle has been inserted.

This invention relates to an automatic syringe which is particularly suitable for injecting one or more compatible or incompatible drugs into a patient. The syringe of this invention is specifically useful for those cases of coronary occlusion which are most severe and where the need for prompt administration of appropriate medication is primary. In cases of coronary occlusion, normally the preferred manner of administering the drugs is intravenously but, very often, no medical personnal are available to effect such administration. With this invention, non-medically trained persons can use the automatic syringe of this invention to effect the administration of the drugs intramuscularly or subcutaneously.

The invention herein provided means to first cause a needle to be inserted below the skin of a patient and, thereafter, to cause a drug to be forced through the needle and into the patient. This invention can also be used to administer a plurality of drugs through a plurality of needles simultaneously. If the drugs are slightly incompatible, they can be mixed prior to injetcion into the patient through a single needle. In cases where the drugs are incompatible to such a degree that they can never be combined, this invention provides means for simultaneously injecting a plurality of needles into a patient, such that different drugs may be simultaneously provided to the patient.

improved automatic syringe to first inject a needle into a patient and thereafter to cause fluid to be automatically expelled through the needle and into the patient.

A further object of this invention is to provide a new and improved automatic syringe which permits the combining of two drugs prior to their being injected into a patient.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved automatic syringe, wherein a plurality of needles and cooperating drug reservoir compartments are provided, such that a plurality of needles may be injected simultaneously into a patient so as to permit incompatible drugs to be administered simultaneously.

Still other objects and advantages of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part be apparent from the specicfiation.

The invention accordingly comprises an article of manufacture possessing the features, properties and the relation of elements which will be exemplified in the article hereinafter described and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims.

3,572,336 Patented Mar. 23, 1971 ice For a fuller understanding of the invention, reference is had to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one form of the automatic syringe of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line 44 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 shows an alternate embodiment according to this invention, showing the parts of the syringe in section; and

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the alternate embodiment taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 5.

Referring first to FIGS. 1-4 in general, there is shown at 10 the outer casing of the syringe device. At one end of the casing 10 is a cap 11 in which compartments 12 are provided for holding alcohol or other skin cleansing fluid. On either side of the cap 11 are membranes 13 for retaining the fluids in the compartments 12 and, additionally, for insuring sterility for the needles of the syringe.

Positioned above the membranes 13 and supported therefrom is a protective shock pad member 14 whose use will be described at a later time. At the topmost portion of the syringe there is provided a cap member shown at 16 having a bore 17 through which there passes a portion of a shell-like member shown at 18. The member 18 is connected to a handle 19 so that it may be rotated within the outer casing 10. The member 18 includes two lips shown at 18a which slide under a ridge 20 of a second shell-like member 21. As shown in FIG. 3, when the lips 18a are rotated a predetermined amount, the shell member 21 will no longer be supported and it will be free to move downwardly under spring pressure. This occurs after a predetermined rotation of the member 18 by the action of a spring 22. When this occurs, the member 21 will move downwardly to force what is generally termed the reservoir needle section, generally shown at 23, to also move downwardly within the confines of the casing 10. The reservoir needle section comprises, as shown in the preferred embodiment, five different needles shown at 24, although it is to be clearly understood that a plurality of needles (less than five) or even one needle may be utilized, depending upon the application. As seen in FIG. 2, the numeral 24 is applied generally to the needles which are of difierent lengths. As may be noted in FIG. 4, reservoirs generally designated as 30 are similarly plurally sized to cooperate with the needles 24 in a manner to be described below.

The needles 24 are supported in members 25 which are mounted within a member 26 which is, in turn, supported by a lock ring 27 positioned within a screwable cap shown at 28. The cap 28 is secured to a member 29 having five bores or reservoirs 30 formed therein. Each of the bores 30 is provided with an opening 31 through which the drug, held within the reservoir formed by the bores, can pass and enter a needle 24. It should be understood that, if desired, two or three of the reservoirs could be constructed such that they funel medicants or fluids into a single needle (such as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6) and, in this case, there would be three or four needles instead of the five shown.

Positioned between the openings 31 and a portion at the top of the needle for receiving the drug, is a membrane 34 which will burst upon suflicient pressure caused by the pistons shown at 36 in each of the reservoirs acting against the drugs held within the reservoirs. Each of the pistons shown is triple flanged and is constructed to eifect an air seal between it and the reservoir. The pistons 36 are coupled to a platform 37 which is itself coupled to a rod shown at 38 which is, in turn, coupled to a shell 39. The shell 39 is held in an upward position by the action of cam followers 40 (one or more) but, in the preferred embodiment, three are connected to and supported by a shell-like member 41. The cam followers are held in tension by O-rings, as shown. As the reservoir and needle section 23 moves downwardly, the cam followers 40 will engage the cam portion 42 of the member 1 8 and permit the member 39 to be released and move downwardly under the action of a spring 44. Thus, in operation, the bandle 19 is rotated over low friction washers 45 until the member 18 is positioned such that the reservoir and needle section 23 will move downwardly.

At this time, the needles 24 penetrate downwardly through. the membranes 13 and are stopped by the action of the member 28 engaging the pads 14. The cam follower 40 then engages cam 42 which thus causes pistons 36 to force the fluids (drugs) into the needles and into the patient. There is thus provided a double-acting automatic syringe which first causes the needles to enter the skin of a patient and then causes the medicants held within the reservoirs 30 to be expelled into the patient.

Referring now to FIGS. and 6, there is illustrated a slightly altered embodiment of this invention. In this embodiment, there is provided an outer casing 50 on which there is mounted a reservoir and needle assembly 51 comprising, in this case, a single needle shown at 52. The needle 52 is supported in a member *53 slidably movable within the casing 50. At the botom end of the casing 50 there is preferably provided a membrane 54 to insure the sterility of the device.

Positioned slightly above the entrance of needle 52 is a space formed above the member 53 through which the 'medicants from the reservoirs 55 will enter upon the rupture of the membrane 56 so as to pass through the needle 52. The medicants are forced downwardly into the needle by the pistons 57 which are moved in accordance with the movement of the platform shown at 58 coupled to a rod 59 and which is itself movable within a shell 60 by the provision of spring '61. The entire reservoir and needle assembly 51 is movable downwardly within the casing, by pulling out a key shown at 62 held by a ring 63'. By pulling out the ring 63 and the key 62, the spring 64 positioned against an end cap 65 coupled to the casing, forces the entire reservoir and needle assembly downwardly and thus forces the needle 52 into the patient through the membrane 54.

After the assembly 51 has moved a predetermined distance, a pin 67 comprising an end portion of a member that extends downwardly from and is attached to the cap 65 includes an accordion type spring portion below the cap, will move downwardly a relatively short distance with the shell 60, after which said pin 67 will be removed from an opening 68 in the member 59 and from an opening '69 in the member 60. Upon release of the pin 67, the spring 61 will cause the pistons 57 to move downwardly to force fluid out of the reservoirs, through the membrane 56, into the needle 52 and thence into the patient.

In this particular embodiment, there is shown the provision of mixing somewhat incompatible drugs prior to their being dispensed through a single needle.

It will thus be seen that the objects. set forth above, among those made apparent from the preceding description, are efficiently attained and since certain changes may be made in the above constructions without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the foregoing description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all the generic and specific features of the invention herein described and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

What is claimed is:

1. A syringe for injecting fluids into a patient or the like, the syringe having an outer casing and having at least one needle and at least one fluid storage compartment slideably positioned therein, a first energy storage means positioned within the casing for moving the compartment and needle to inject the needle into a patient, and second energy storage means positioned within the casing to cause fluid to be expelled from said fluid storage compartment into said needle and thence into said patient, said second energy storage means being automatically actuated after the actuation of said first energy storage means, and first and second release means to actuate each of said energy storage means, said second release means positioned within said casing so that it cannot be actuated from outside the casing, said second release means controlling the operation of said second energy storage means and said [first release means controlling the operation of said first energy storage means.

2. A syringe according to claim 1, in which there is provided a plurality of fluid storage compartments and in which the fluids from at least two of said compartments are combined as they enter the patient.

3. A syringe according to claim 1, in which there is a plurality of fluid storage compartments and a separate needle coacting with each storage compartment.

4. A- syringe comprising an outer casing, a slideable assembly comprising a plurality of fluid reservoirs positioned within said casing, each of said reservoirs having a movable piston for forcing fluid out of said reservoirs, and membranes sealing each of said reservoirs, said assembly including a mixing chamber below said membranes, a needle mounted on said chamber and having an opening thereinto said needle positioned in said casing and movable to extend outwardly from said casing through an opening formed in said casing, means for moving said assembly to cause the needle to extend through said opening in said casing and means positioned solely within said casing to subsequently move said pistons in order to force fluid from each of said reservoirs into said mixing chamber and then into said needle.

5. 'In a syringe according to claim 4, in which the casing includes a fluid storage compartment through which the needle passes before exiting from said casing.

6. In a syringe according to claim 4, in which there is provided a puncturable membrane at the opening of the casing through which said needle penetrates before extending outside said casing.

7. In a syringe according to claim 6, in which there is provided means for combining the fluid stored in each of said reservoirs and thereafter permitting said fluid to enter said needle.

8. In a syringe according to claim 4, in which there is provided a plurality of needles, each needle cooperating with a different one of said reservoirs.

9. A syringe apparatus comprising an outer casing, a member positioned within the interior of the casing and movable within the casing, a plurality of bores formed in said member, each of said bores having an opening for dispensing fluid, a separate plunger supported in each of said plurality of bores, a platform means positioned within the casing for moving each of the plungers to force fluid out of said openings, means for first moving said member a predetermined distance within said casing, and means positioned solely within said casing for thereafter moving said platform means in the same direction as the movement of said member to simultaneously move said plungers to dispense fluid from said bore openings.

'10. IA syringe apparatus according to claim 9 in which said plungers are each coupled to said platform means.

11. A syringe according to claim 9 in which a needle is supported by said member and is movable therewith, said needle and said member adapted to move a distance necessary to extend the needle outward from said casing, and a space in said member between said bore openings and said needle to mix the fluid from said bores prior to the fluid entering the needle.

12. A syringe apparatus according to claim 11 in which membranes are positioned at the bore openings to seal off the openings, said membranes adapted to open as a result of pressure of the fluid contained within the bores being forced out of said bores by said plungers.

13. A syringe apparatus according to claim 9 wherin said means for respectively moving said member and said platform means comprises a first spring positioned within said casing and adapted to move said member upon release of said member for movement within said casing, a second spring adapted to move said platform means to engage said plungers after said member has moved a distance within said casing and release means actuated to permit movement of the platform means within said casing after said member has moved a predetermined distance.

14. A syring apparatus according to claim 13 in which said release means is positioned within the inside of said casing so that it cannot be released accidentally by a human instrumentality.

'15. A syringe apparatus according to claim 13 in which a shell is provided within the interior of said first spring, a portion of said platform means is positioned for movement within said shell, and in which said second spring is positioned 'within said shell to engage said platform portion.

16. A syringe apparatus according to claim 15 in which said shell is adapted to move with said multibore member and in which said shell cooperates with said release means to prevent movement of said platform means.

17. A syringe according to claim 16 in which a needle is coupled to said multibore member and is adapted to receive fluid from each of the bores.

18. In a syringe comprising an outer casing, a member having a fluid storage compartment having an opening at one end thereof for dispensing fluid and movably mounted Within said casing, a plunger means positioned in said compartment and adapted to push fluid out of the opening in said compartment, a first spring positioned within the casing and adapted to move said member within said casing, and a second spring positioned within said first spring and said casing and adapted to move said plunger to force fluid out of said compartment, said springs respectively biasing said member and said plunger means in the same direction.

19. In a syringe according to claim 18 in which a shell is provided within said first spring, said shell adapted to move with the member, and said shell having the second spring and a portion of said plunger positioned therein.

20. In a syringe according to claim 19 in which a needle is coupled to said fluid storage compartment and in which the second spring is confined between an end of the shell and the portion of the plunger.

21. In a syringe according to claim 8 in which one needle is a difierent length than the other of said plu rality of needles.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,943,120 1/1934 Kabnick 128218(M) 2,670,673 3/1954 Gordon et a1. 128218.2X 2,168,686 8/1939 Saflir 128218(D) 2,693,186 11/1954 Riker et al. 128-218(F) 2,856,924 10/ 1958 Rockwell et al 128218F FOREIGN PATENTS 9,324 10/1902 Austria. 585,862 10/ 1959 Canada. 1,014,881 6/ 1952 France. 1,051,010 9/ 1953 France. 1,116,972 2/ 1956 France.

15 6/1949 Philippines 128218(P) JOSEPH S. REICH, Primary Examiner 

